Tottenham Hotspur slumped to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Liverpool, thus continuing the trend of failing to perform against big clubs under Jose Mourinho.
The Lilywhites looked off right from the start, with Liverpool creating an early chance. The Reds looked the better side for the vast majority of the game, especially in the first half, where they created many opportunities and looked menacing on the break. Roberto Firmino eventually scored the opener in the 37th minute, but there was a controversial throw-in decision involved prior to the goal that should have looked into.
In the second half, it was pretty much the same story. However, things changed during the final phase of the game, when Tottenham started to get a foothold in the game and pushed for a late equaliser. But, a couple of missed chances from Giovani Lo Celso and Son Heung-Min saw the north London giants slump to a narrow defeat.
Here are the Tottenham players rated in their loss to Liverpool this evening.
Paulo Gazzaniga 7
Was beaten by Firmino in the opening minutes but was lucky to have Japhet Tanganga putting in an important clearance. Couldn’t have done anything to stop the opener either. But, the Argentine did make an excellent save to deny Virgil van Dijk.
Japhet Tanganga 7.5
As mentioned earlier, Tanganga deserves a lot of pace for making a goalline clearance in the early minutes. However, the youngster looked nervy dealing with the threat of Sadio Mane and Firmino and was outdone by their sheer quality on a few occasions. But, it was understandable, with the defender making his Premier League debut.
Toby Alderweireld 8.5
Alderweireld was one of the better performers of this game even if we look at both sides. The Belgian led the backline with aplomb and used his experience to help Tottenham minimise Liverpool’s attacking strength. Moreover, he was incredible with his forward passes, some of which even led to swift counter-attacks from the home side.
Davinson Sanchez 7.5
Alderweireld’s brilliance performance at the back was not complimented well by Davinson Sanchez during the early stages of the game. The Colombian was beaten in both strength and pace by Mohamed Salah on the left flank, at times. However, he improved a lot and made several crucial tackles to keep the Liverpool attack at bay.
Danny Rose 5
Starting ahead of Jan Vertonghen at left-back, Rose looked uncomfortable dealing with the threat of Salah on the far side. He was also ineffective going forward, and the decision to start him ahead of the Belgian veteran didn’t really work out for Mourinho, it seems.
Serge Aurier 7.5
Aurier had to start in a more advanced role as Mourinho employed a defensive tactic against Liverpool. And the Ivorian did well to provide the quality going forward while he also tracked back and supported the young Tanganga. A swerving cross to Lo Celso late in the game was the highlight of his performance this evening.
Christian Eriksen 4
By far one of the worst performers on the pitch, Christian Eriksen looked clueless throughout the game. The Dane didn’t provide anything substantial going forward and outclassed by the Liverpool midfielders. He was deservedly taken off during the final phase of the game.
Harry Winks 7.5
A mixed performance from the young midfielder, who did look clueless at times when making the transition. But, his energy and tenacity helped Tottenham make a late surge, in search of an equaliser.
Son Heung-Min 6
A disappointing performance from the South Korean, who hasn’t been able to perform since his red card. Son missed an excellent opportunity to score while he also lacked the support from his attacking teammates. Struggled without Harry Kane.
Lucas Moura 6.5
Much like Winks, it was a mixed display from the Brazilian, who did showcase his brilliance, at times. But overall, his performance just wasn’t good enough to help Tottenham seal at least a point.
Dele Alli 6.5
Alli looked frustrated, at times, due to his lack of involvement in the game. The English international did, however, impress with his willingness to close down Liverpool ball-carriers, especially in the second half.
SUBSTITUTES
Erik Lamela 8
Made an immediate impact after replacing Eriksen in the 69th minute. The Argentine was involved in a couple of chances Tottenham managed to create during the final phase of the game. Should be starting the game for Spurs, ahead of Moura or Eriksen.
Giovani Lo Celso 7.5
Once again made an impact after coming on from the bench, providing a real flair in the final third. However, he was culpable of missing the most glorious opportunity to score as he missed the target even from close range.
